RADIO NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 73, 17 November 1931, Page 2

RADIO NOTES

"Kathode."

B?

"I asked my father once why the Puritans left a perfectly comfortable country to come over to the New World with its savage Indians and hard life. His answer was 'In order that they miglit be ahle to worship God according to the dictates of their own qpnscience— and prevent others frpm doing the same'V I have thought about ' that many times in A.R.R.L. affairs. It gets one down to the fundamentals of government.

It's a good thing to get down to fundamentals every once in a while. If keeps one from getting off the ro'ad and becoming lost. A director may argue and threaten for something that his division wants. Unless he can convince a majority of the other fifteen directors that it is best for the A.R.R.L. as a whole, he and his division get turned down. In other words, no man or local group of men can impose their will upon the whole. Nobody can "prevent others from doing the same." That's representative government. The history of human affairs has shown that it is the best kind of government that succeeds." ; The above is an extract from the writings of Hiram Percy Maxim, president of the world-wide Association of Radio Transmitters. From January 1, 1932, broadcasting in New Zealand will be under Government control. A board of three, to be selected by the EostmasterGeneral, with an advisory eommittee of eight, will take over complete control from that date. Whether such a scheme will be an improvement on private ownership remains to be seen, though it is safe to say that no system of control will please all listeners all the time. Now that finality has been reaehed, the problem of interference shpuld rpceive full investigation with the least possible delay. The new Broadcasting Act provides for the establishment of an advisory council - of eight members, five from the North Island and three from the South Island. This council is to be appointed by the Minister from nominations received from various listeners' organisations. Now is the time for the Rotorua Radio Club to awake from its long sleep and select a mfimber for noinination. In the past listeners in Rotorua have received little or no consideration and have been

foreed to endure contmuous interference from various sources. With the advent of the a.c. receiver, this problem has become acutq. Several local dealers have been unablfc to sell receivers in certain localities on account of man-made static. Radio is vastly more important to the country listener than it is to the city dweller and for that reason the country listener. should have strong representation on the advisory council. The city listeners' main object will be betterment of programmes, whereas the country listener, living remote from oroadcast stations, is interested mainly :n interf erence-f ree reception of at least one station. Though electrical interference is had in the main centres, city listeners can reeeive the local YA and perhaps one or two local "B" class stations with sufficient volume to blof out all forms of manmade and natural static. The listener in Rotorua is in a totally different position. He must buy an expensive receiver employing four valves or more in order that a station may be received at night, and when local interference is had, reception of any station is ahnost impossible. Taking an average over a period of four years, it is estimated that good reception is enjoyed in Rotorua for about eighty days out of every three hundred and sixty-five. The obvious remedy is the establishment of a relay or "B" class transmitter in Rotorua. Field measurements in England and Ameriea show that the service area of a 5 k.w. station such as 2YA is, at the most, a radius of 12 to 15 miles. That area provides for reception, statis and fading free. The establishment of a 5 k.w. station in each centre would not give a service area to cover New Zealand. The establishment of a 100 k.w. station in each centre, to operate on about 1200 metres would give reasonable service all over this country, but the cost and operations of such plants would be prohibitive. The waste areas, too, would he too great in a small country like New Zealand, as the greater part of the energy wonld be radiated over the empty Pacifie. Small relay stations, then, will prove to be the only solution and Rotorua must keep this want constantly before the new radio board. The elimination of local interference will not ensure good reception here, as static, fading and side-hand distortion will always be more or less present if we are to depemd upon the YA stations for our programmes. The ppssibilities of local, Maori and tourist talent place Rotorua in the position of being able to supply programmes of wide interest, and for that reason, too a local broadcast transmitter is essential. Professor C. R. Knight, professor of architecture at the Auckland Upiversity College, will spealc on "Modern Architecture" from 1YA this evening. Mr. Noho Toki, the well known Maori tenor, will sing "Maire, my Girl" "L'Amour Toujours, L'Amour," "Danny Boy" and "-When You are There," from 2YA this evening. Mr. Billy Hart will present songs at the piano. The Green Island Municipal Band will provide the programm,e from 4YA this evening. In cases where step-up transformers are used, it is not always good policy to place them too close to the receiver, as _ objectionable a.p. hum may he present in the transformer. Usually a rating of at least 100 watts is desirable in order that the transformer may run cool and humfree. In every case, care must bp taken to see that the outside metal

"Happen to want a perfectly good to-bacco-pouch.?" Thus an old Thames identity to a friend the other day. 'Tha giving up smoking." "I say! How's "that?" "Doctor's orders, my boy. Says the nicotine's poisoning my thx'oat. Tough luek after smoking a pipe eyery day 'fof 40 years. What?," The friend nodded. "Look here," he said, "ever tried the New Zealand tobacco?" "Can't say I have. But, of eourse, I've heard a Iot" aboiiFit. WKo hasn't?" "Well, you give it a go. The beauty of this tobaceo is thal ff's toasted, and as the toasting neutralises the nicotine you can' s'moke it until all's blue. It simply can't hurt you." My doctor khows all about that if yours doesn't. He'll cell you! And mind you, you can't beat' toasted New Zealand for flavour and bouquet. It's unique! There are only four brands: Riverhead Gold, Navy Cut No. 3, Cavendish, and Cut Plug No. 10." The old smoker took the tip! He got some "toast- -i ed," and— well, his pipe and pouch are fl once more in requisition daily! 200